Built as an antidote to the ills of urban living, 150 years on, the park is playing exactly the role it was intended for
This week community contention around the use of one of Melbourne’s most beloved parks came to a head. A small group of local residents took their concerns about the purported bacchanalia unfolding at Edinburgh Gardens since lockdowns eased to the council. Then more than 2,000 park-users signed a petition insisting the city of Yarra reject any call for an outright booze ban. Alcohol is already banned in the gardens after 9pm.
On 15 December, the council – which last month became Australia’s first Greens-majority council – unanimously voted down the residents’ proposal, considering more cleaning and toilets instead. Melbourne’s extraordinary lockdown success is cause for much (socially distanced) celebration, putting public green space at a premium. As we relish our hard-earned Covid-normal summer in these shared spaces, let’s consider why our parks exist at all.
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